Car-coupling



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J. E. ULLINS.

GA OUPLING.

No. 446,976. Patented Peb. 24,1891.

UNITED i STATES PATENT muon.

JOHN E. MULLINS, OF MAGNOLIA, ARKANSAS.

oAR-CouPLlNe.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 446,976,dated February 24, 1891. Application filed November 4, 1890i Serial No. 370.322. No model.)

To all whom t may concern,.-

Be it known that I, JOHN E. MULLINS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Magnolia, in the county of Columbia and State of Arkansas, have invented a new and useful Car-Coupling, of which the followingis a specijtication.

This invention relates to car-couplings, and the object of the same is to provide a device of this character possessing certain improvements in construction and operation, all as hereinafter more fully described and claimed, and as illustrated in the drawings,in which- Figure l is a central longitudinal section of the end of a car with my improved coupling attached thereto. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the end of a car and its coupling, show- .ing the parts in their normal positions with a link locked therein. Fig. 3 is a cross-section on the line 3 3 of Fig. l,showing the uncoupling devices in position when the pin is raised. Fig. 4 is a plan view of the dravhead. Fig. 5 is a horizontal section on the lines 5 5 of Figs. l and 2. Fig. Gis a perspective detail of the three levers and the catches operated thereby.

Referring to the said drawings, theI letter D designates a draw-head, Within which is a longitudinally-moving block B, pressed normally forward by a coiled spring S in a wellknown manner. The front end of the drawhead is of the construction best seen in Fig. -that is to say, its sides project inwardly at I on opposite sides of its mouth, and within said mouth is arranged a number of lips L, which rise and fall loosely upon said proj ections I and which have sharpened front edges, as seen in Fig. l. Below the lowermost lip is arranged a link operating device O, borne normally upward within the mouth of the draw-head by a pair of coiled springs C, which surround the arms of the U-shaped yoke U. 'lhelatter projects upwardly through holes in the bottom of the draw-head, the plate O being secured to its upper ends and limited in its downward movement by a stud or stop P. The body of the yoke stands beneath the bottom ot' the draw-head and receives a finger F, projecting forwardly from and secured rigidly to a transverse rod T, mounted in eyes t' in the draw-head and having operating-handles h at its opposite ends. By this means when the link is iu place the handles h can be operated to adjust its outer end vertically, so as to guide it into the mouth of an approaching draw-head. At the. same time the several lips L permit the link to enter the mouth of the draw-head at any vertical point within reasonable limits, and the plate O when moved vertically raises and lowers the lips L, and with them the link,in a manner which will be clear to any person skilled in this art.

The block B is provided on its upper side with a cross-bar X. Above this cross-barlies a longitudinal arm A, pivoted near its rear end to an upright stud a, rising from the block B and pressed upwardly in rear of said stud by a coiled spring S. The front end of this arm is bifurcated, as shown in Fig. 4, and receives the head of the coupling-pin P, said head being pressed normally forward in the bifurcation by a coiled spring O, surrounding the arm A, as seen in Fig. l.

At about the cent-er of its length the arm A is provided with a downwardly-projecting tooth A', having a rounded front face.

N, Fig. 5, is a bar passing transversely through the draw-head and through a horizontal slot b in the block B, and this bar is provided with a notch n at its center, in which the tooth A stands when the pin is lowered. Then the pin is raised, it will be evident that the rounded front face of the tooth will press the bar N forwardly against the tension of the leaf-springs L', located in the body of the draw-head on either side of the block, and when the tooth has passed bythe bar the latter springs to the rear beneath the lower end of the tooth, whereby the latter, and with it the arm A and pin P, are supported in elevated position. Then alink enters the mouth of the draw-head and drives the block B to the rear, the tooth thereon is moved off the bar and the tooth allowed to drop, and the pin P is thus shot downwardly through the link by the force of the spring S.

Mounted in studs u u at the outer ends of the cross-bar X are the levers V and V, having L.-shaped handles H andll at their outer ends borne upwardly by leaf-springsl and I. The inner end of the lever V is bent upwardly over the arm A and then downwardly at its IOO point, and a link Q is pivotally connected at its ends to the inner ends of the two levers.

l.ivotall v mounted upon the lever 'V at points above the sides ot' the arm A are catches K K, the latter having an Lshaped body, as best seen in Fig. 3, and to these catches be low their pivots are pivotally connected the inner ends of pitmen M M', which extend thence outwardly and connect with the lower ends ofthe handles ll ll.

Pivotally connected to the innercnd of the horizontal arm in the catch K is a pitman mi, which extends upwardly and is connected to the end of an operating handle ll?, pivoted between its ends to the top of the car. The lower ends of the catches are provided with J in wa rdly-extemling poin ts 7.', which are adapted to enter recesses in the upper side of the crossbar X and pass beneath the arm A when properly manipulated.

With the above construction ot parts the operation of uncoupling is accomplished in the following manner: One of the levers Y or the handle ll is operated to move the catches downwardly. 'lhehandle ll'ea-n then be moved to throw the point L of the catch K beneath the arm A, or the handle Il can be similarly moved to throw the catch K into operative position; but if the catches are operated from the top of the ear the downward movement ou the pitman in, tending to throw the point 7s of the catch K outwardly, is resisted by the pitman M and the handle ll. Then the pitman 'm again moves upwardly, the iirst portion of its motion turns the catch K on its pivot and throws its tip 7c beneath the arm A, and the balance of its motion lifts said arm in a manner which will be easily understood.

'lhe letter E designates an elbow-lever ex* tending from the pivotal point 1l of the lever Y and engaging a pin N in abroad notch n. in the outer end of the bar N, and this lever causes the bar to move transversely through the draw-head as the lever 'V is operated.

\Vhat I claim as new isl. In a car-coupling, the combination, with a draw-head provided with inward projections on the opposite sides of its mouth and a number of lips moving vertically in said mouth, with their ends shaped so as to tit said projections, of a linl; operating plate also moving vertically in said mouth, a yoke passing through the bottom of the draw-head and connected with said plate, springs bearing the latter normally upward, a transverse rod mounted beneath the draw-head and having handles on its ends, and a finger secured to said rod and passing through said yoke, the whole operating substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a car-coupling, the combination, with the longitudinally-moving block having a slot through its body, an arm pivoted to said block, a pin depending from the front end of said arm, and a spring pressing the rear end ot' the arm normally upward, of a tooth depending from said arm, a transverse bar passing through the slot in said block and upon which said tooth rests when the block is forward, and means for raising said arm, as and for the purpose set forth.

In a car-coupling, the combination, with the longitudiitally-moving block having a slot through its body, an arm pivoted to said bloei; and having a depending tooth provided with a rounded front face, a spring pressing said arm normally upward, and a pin dependingI from the front end of the arm, of a transverse bar passing through the slot in said block and having` a notch embracing said tooth, leaf-springs bearing said bar normally forward, and means `for raising the arm, as and for the purpose set forth.

l. In a car-coupling, the combination, with the longitudinally-moving block, an arm pivoted thereto and having a bifurcation in its front end, and means for raising and means for lowering said arm, of a piu whose head engages said bifurcation and whose body depends therefrom in t'ront of said block, and a coiled spring on said arm in rear of the pin, as and for the purpose set forth.

5. In a ear-coupling, the combination, with the draw-head having guiding-lips in its mouth and a vertical hole through its body, of a forwardly spring-pressed block moving in said draw-head, apin moving' in said hole, an arin connected at one end to t-he block and at the other end to the head of the pin, and means for raising and means for lowering said arm, as and forthe purpose set forth.

(i. In a car-coupling, the combination, with the draw-head, a bloeit therein, and means for moving it longitmlinally, of a pin moving verticallythrough the dra\vhead, an arm connected thereto and pivoted to the block, means Vfor raising said arm, and means for holding it raised when the block is forward, the whole operating substantially as described.

7. In a car-coupling, the combination, with the coupling-pin, a longitudinal arm con neeted at one end thereto and at the other end with a portion of the draw-head, and a spring bearing said arm normally downward, of catches having points at their lower ends adapted to pass beneath said arm, levers to which the upper ends of said catches are pivoted, said levers being mounted upon studs supported by the draw-head and extending transversely beyond the same, and L.-shapcd handles at the outer ends of said levers connected by pitm en with said catches, the whole operating substantially as described.

S. In a car-coupling, the combination, with the coupling-pin, a longitudinal arm connectcd at one end thereto and at the other end to a block moving in the draw-head, and a spring bearing said arm normally downward, ot catches adapted to pass beneath said arm, levers to which said catches are pivoted, said levers extending laterally from the drawhead, handles at the outer ends of said levers connected by pitmen with the catches, and

IOO

IIO

means for holding said arm raised when the block is forward, the Whole operating substantially as described.

il. In a car-coupling, `the combination, with the d raw-head, a block moving longitudinally therein and provided with a slot, an arm pivoted to said block,a spring pressing said arm normally downward, a pin carried by said arm and standing in front of the block, and a tooth on the arm extending downwardly across said slot, of a pivoted lever, a catch connected thereto and adapted to engage said arm for raising thel latter, a bar passing through the draw-head and through the slot in said block, springs pressing said bar normally forward beneath vsaid tooth, and an elbow-lever carried by said catch-operating lever and adapted to move said bar, as and for the purpose described.

l0. In a ear-coupling, the combination, with lthe draw-head, the coupling-pin, and an arm connecting them, of a cross-bar, levers pivoled to studs near the outer ends thereof, the inner end of one lever being bent upwardly over said arm, a link pivotal ly connecting the inner ends of said levers, catches pivoted to the bent lever and having inwardly-bent tips adapted to pass beneath said arm, handles pivoted to the outer ends ot said levers, and pitnien connecting said handles with the catches, the whole operating substantially' as described. l

Il. In acar-coupling, the combination, with the draw-head, the coupling-pin, and a pivoted arm sustaining the latter,'of a pivoted lever, an Lshaped catch pivoted to the inner end thereof and having a point at its lower end adapted to pass beneath said arm, a second pivoted lever, a handle connected thereto, a pitman extending from said handle to said catch, an operating-lever pivotally mounted upon the top of the car, and a pitman extending frorn one end of this lever downwardly and connected to the horizontal arm of said catch, the whole operating as set forth.

I2. In acar-coupling, the combination, with the draw-head, the coupling-pin, and a pivoted arm sustaining the latter, of a cross-bar, levers pivoted to studs near the outer ends thereof, the inner end ot' one of said levers being bent upwardly over said arm, a link pivotally connecting the inner ends of said levers, a straight catch and an L shaped catch pivoted to the bent lever and having inwardly-bent tips adapted .to pass beneath said arm, Lshaped handles pivoted to the outer ends of said levers,'pitn1en connecting said handles with the catches, an operatinglever pivotally mounted on the top of the car, and a pitman extending from one end of said lever downwardly and connected to the hori- Zontal arm of said L-shaped catch, the whole operating substantially as described.

13. In a car-coupling, the combination, with the draw-head, the coupling-pin, and a pivoted arm sustaining the latter, of aleverpivotally supported by the draw-head and carrying a catch at its inner end, means for throwing the point of the catch beneath said arm, an operating-lever pivotally mounted upon the top of the car` and a pitman connecting this lever with the catch and adapted to move the latter bodily, the whole operating substantially as described.

lil. In a car-coupling, the combination, with the draw head, the longituflinallymoving block therein, an arm pivoted to said block and carrying a coupling-pin adapted to pass in frontof the block, and means for sustaining said arm when raised, but releasing it when the block moves to the rear, of operating-levers extending to the sides of the ear, and an operating-lever at the top of the car, and catches connected to said levers andhaving inwardly-bent tips adapted to engage beneath said arm, as and for the purpose hereinbefore set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN E. MULLINS. l/Vitnesses:

T. A. MoNRon, O. C. LYLE. 

